The Head of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Keifala has said on Wednesday December 9, 2020 that, persistent corruption would cause suffering for the youth of Sierra Leone.
He made this statement during the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Freetown.
This year’s commemoration is centered on the role which the youth could play in the fight against corruption in the country which would create room for a National Dialogue conference for the youth during the celebration.
The ACC Boss said that young people have an integral role to play in the fight against corruption wherever they find themselves, adding that young people are mostly used as vehicles by corrupt rulers of the state to fight back against corruption.
Keifala warned that executing duties with honesty and integrity is more important than showing love and affection combatting acts of corruption during the course of administrative duty. He advised everyone to uphold integrity in the line of duty.
“The fight against corruption continues. It is a battle that we shall fight with all minds, might and souls because most young people have been deprived of certain privileges due to corruption. Therefore it is the responsibility of the youth to stand firm against the storm of corruption,” he said.
Emerson Kamara, the deputy National Youth Commissioner (NAYCOM), said that if Sierra Leone is to eradicate or minimize corruption, its young must play a key role, adding that youth have the power to shape the culture of change in the country.
He said that youth should be educated on the prevalence of corruption, its effects and it underlying impacts on the general population of the country, adding that they should be taught about corruption through innovative platforms wherein they would in turn serve as ambassadors in fighting corruption.
“Young people should also be educated on the value of integrity. Youth should be supporters of good governance by upholding the drive for national development…,” Kamara said.
The Executive Director for Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), Ibrahim Tommy, said that the dialogue with the youth to commemorate the fight against corruption as a global scourge was timely because young people constitute the critical component of the country’s population.
He mentioned that according to international and local surveys – the International Peace Index 2018 and also the People’s Perception Survey 2020 – there is immense progress in the fight against corruption in terms of recovery of misappropriated funds and stiffer sentences.
“Corruption undermines the aspirations and dreams of young people for a better tomorrow, but without the youth the fight against corruption cannot succeed,” Tommy cautioned.
By George M.O. Williams
11/12/2020. ISSUE NO: 7965